1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to peelable pouches for storage of transdermal patches, and methods for packaging objects or transdermal patches.
2. Related Art
Transdermal systems often include medicine or another bioactive agent that is absorbed by the user's skin over a period of time. A typical transdermal system can include an adhesive skin patch containing medicine that passes from the patch and through the user's skin. Such patches often are provided in a package formed of a pair of plies of material that are sealed together about their perimeters. A thin space is disposed between the sealed plies in which the transdermal patch is located.
One disadvantage with transdermal systems, or the packaging thereof, is the difficulty in removing the patch from the package for use. Typically, the perimeter of the package is scored or notched near a corner to facilitate breaking or tearing the sealed plies and opening the package. The user can grasp the package adjacent either side of the score or notch, and tear off a portion of the package to reveal the thin space with the transdermal patch therein.
It will be appreciated that such transdermal patches often include an adhesive used to affix the patch to the user's skin. Over time, a minimal amount of such adhesive can seep out about a perimeter of the patch, causing the patch itself to adhere to an inner surface of the package. Thus, as the user tears off a portion of the package to reveal the thin space and patch therein, the patch can be adhered to a surface of the package instead of being freely exposed within the space, resisting convenient removal of the patch. Although the packaging typically includes an inner surface of foil, or other “non-stick” surface such as a polymer coating, to resist adherence of the patch to the packaging, the adhesive often is capable of lightly adhering to such surfaces, or is capable of providing sufficient adherence to thwart or prevent removal of the patch.
It also will be appreciated that such patches, and thus such packages, can be small enough that the thin space therein is small enough to prevent or hinder the user from inserting his or her fingers and grasping the patch. In addition, as stated above, the patch can become adhered to the inner surface the package, thus further preventing or resisting the user's attempt to grasp the patch, even if sufficient space exists to insert fingers.
In addition, the user often must engage in further operations to further open the package and retrieve the patch. For example, after having torn the first portion of the package to obtain access to the space and the patch, the user often must further tear the package in order to increase the opening to the space, or further reveal the patch, in order to increase access to grasp the patch or separate it from the inner surface of the package. Such further manipulation of the packaging increases the risk of molesting or damaging the patch.
Another disadvantage with such transdermal systems, or packaging, is that the tear method of opening the package increases the risk of tearing the package across the transdermal patch itself, thus tearing or molesting the patch.
Another disadvantage with such transdermal systems is that packaging configured for one type of transdermal system may not be sufficient to package another. For example, one package configured to prevent leakage of a first type of medicine may not sufficiently prevent leakage of a second type of medicine because such packaging may not contain the second type of medicine.